Sprint spills goods on LTE switch; first devices coming in 2012

Sprint has announced that it plans to cover 120 million people with access to …

Sprint has announced plans to roll out its 4G LTE network by the end of 2012. 120 markets and 15 different devices will have access to the network by the end of next year.

Sprint has relied on the WiMAX network it built with Clearwire to provide 4G coverage to its customers, which covers upwards of 70 large markets right now. Sprint plans to completely change gears to LTE by the end of 2013, with 260 markets and 250 million people covered by that time.

CNET notes that Sprint will continue selling WiMAX hotspots next year, with some of the devices able to access both the WiMAX and LTE networks. The company has not said whether it plans to maintain its WiMAX connections, but may well cut service once its 4G LTE network is well-established.

Clear has been testing an LTE network of its own, and it’s unclear what role that might play in Sprint’s plans going forward. Also unknown is what effect a more robust network might have on Sprint's data plans, one of the last bastions of unlimited wireless service.

Likewise, the company has not yet announced targeted speeds for its LTE (Clear reported its LTE was edging toward 90Mbps in some spots). Sprint has an investor call scheduled for later today, when more details about the new network may be revealed. The release of the first LTE device is tentatively set for the summer of 2012.